Anti-polio drive extended

by APP , (Last Updated October 2, 2014)

Health Executive District Officer (EDO) Dr Zafar Iqbal Gondal said on Thursday that the three-day anti-polio campaign, which began in the entire district on September 29, has been extended for three more days to reach thousands of children who were missed or their parents refused the polio drops during the formal campaign that concluded on Wednesday.

The anti-polio campaign would now continue till October 4 and Health Department wants to cover maximum possible target in the ongoing special anti-polio campaign, he added.

EDO said that the District Health Department, however, has started internal evaluation of the ongoing anti-polio campaign to overcome problems the department has been facing in administration of anti-polio drops to 100% children below five years of age in the district.

“I informed Rawalpindi District Coordination Officer Sajid Zafar Dal about the problem of refusal of parents to administer polio drops and shortage of staff, who directed the health department to extend the anti-polio campaign for three more days to overcome the issue,” he said.

He admitted that the campaign in a number of areas particularly in city and cantonment has been affected. He, however, added that the health department would try to achieve the targets set for the campaign.